President-elect taking time to select ag secretary

Saturday

From his farm near Chase, Doug Keesling is hearing concerns from farmers and others across rural America.

Has President-elect Donald Trump forgotten them?

It was rural voters, after all, who helped propel the real estate entrepreneur into office. Yet it has been more than two months since the election, and Trump has yet to name a secretary of agriculture. Moreover, who he chooses would have a significant effect on Kansas — where agriculture is the economic backbone.

Keesling, a member of Trump’s Agriculture Advisory Committee, offers reassurance.

“He is trying to get the right person in,” Keesling said Monday from his Rice County farm. “His team is trying to ask the right questions. USDA is very big and diverse with over 100,000 employees.”

5 days until inauguration

Since the November election Trump has selected all his cabinet posts — including Kansas Republican Congressman Mike Pompeo as the new CIA director — except ag secretary.

Trump’s most recent selection came Wednesday, when he announced his choice of David Shulkin to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Shulkin is the current undersecretary for health at the VA and has been in that post since July 2015.

Trump, who will be inaugurated Friday, is a little later than usual in making the ag selection.

President Barack Obama named current USDA head Tom Vilsack in mid-December 2008.

George W. Bush, whose transition was slowed by Al Gore’s Florida recount, made several cabinet picks — including his agriculture nomination, around Christmas in 2000.

Bill Clinton announced his agriculture secretary, along with a handful of others, before Christmas in 1992.

Keesling said, however, late selections are nothing unusual. He said concerns seem to be more at the forefront because “rural America really spoke highly of (Trump) during the election.”

“I want to send out this message of assurance to people,” he said. “It is not abnormal for some past administrations to take up to the inaugural day for their cabinet members. It’s not unprecedented to take this long.”

What would be good for Kansas?

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said he hasn’t met with Trump. However, he and his staff have conveyed to Trump’s Agriculture Advisory Committee, vice president-elect Mike Pence and Trump’s chief of staff Reince Priebus — two men he knows well — the need for an agriculture secretary who knows not only the roles and concerns of farmers and ranchers but also rural America.

The new chief must be able to promote rural development programs, work with the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, be an advocate for rural housing and engage in conversations with the Food and Drug Administration.

The new secretary also must help provide rural Americans access to health care.

“The secretary of agriculture should know the importance of critical access hospitals,” Moran said. Food safety and rural broadband development are among other issues facing the new secretary.

“Yes, agriculture is a huge component of that department, but it is broader than just farmers and ranchers,” Moran said. He said the ag secretary should be “someone who has an understanding of farm programs, but most important ... an understanding and passion and strong commitment to rural America.”

Moran said among the duties will be advising Congress on the creation of a new farm bill, as well as leading the implementation of that legislation with every Farm Service Agency across the country.

Meanwhile, with piles of grain on the ground at a majority of Kansas elevators, Moran said the new secretary would also be promoting trade opportunities for farmers and ranchers to sell what they produce not only in the United States, but to other countries.

The next secretary of agriculture, he said must be able to “negotiate trade agreements important to the country and sell them to the administration.

“Commodity prices are so low, we need every market possible and a secretary of agriculture is a salesman to the world,” he said.

Keesling also stressed trade. He has been a part of a number of international trade teams in the past promoting Kansas-grown commodities, including wheat. He’s made trips around the globe, including Africa, the Middle East and several trips to Cuba.

In March, Keesling was part of a delegation from the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba that was asked by the U.S. State Department to make the trip during Obama’s visit at that time.

“We need to be focused on trade outside the U.S.,” he said.

Keesling, who has served on Trump’s agricultural advisory committee since August, said he met with the Trump administration a few times — including as late as December. Keesling is being considered for a U.S. Department of Agriculture post.

Regarding the next agriculture chief, “I would like to support anyone who is as close to production agriculture as possible,” Keesling said. “We really need someone who understands production agriculture.”

He said he enjoys his involvement with the Trump ag team because “I believe farmers need to have a better voice in our government and our food supply.”

Who’s who?

Ryan Flickner, senior director of public policy for Kansas Farm Bureau, said they haven’t heard of any leading candidate.

Some lists out there are shorter, some are longer, but at least 15 or so potential candidates have met with Trump or Pence over the past few months, said Flickner, who prior to working with KFB served as deputy state director for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts.

“We are just looking forward to see who the nominee is — and just as important to see the number of undersecretaries — Risk Management Agency, Rural Development and everything between, just to see what their priorities are.”

Among the list of names floated around during the past month:

Three Texans: Elsa Murano, the former president of Texas A&M; Susan Combs, who held the title of Texas Comptroller and Texas Agriculture Commissioner, and Sid Miller, current Texas Agriculture Commissioner.

Moran’s name surfaced in mid-November. But Moran stressed then, and during his interview with The News Tuesday, he has never had a personal conversation with Trump.

“While press reports indicate otherwise, I have not been offered the position of Secretary of Agriculture,” Moran said in a statement Nov. 19. “I have been given a great opportunity to continue serving Kansans in the United States Senate and that will be my full focus.”

Moran said he wasn’t concerned with Trump’s delay in selecting an ag secretary. He is glad to see Trump is focused on finding the right person for the job.

“The two cabinet secretaries I have the most dealings with are the two cabinet secretaries yet to be named — Agriculture and Veterans Affairs,” Moran said. “Both of those I deal with on an ongoing basis, and I’m anxious on who the president-elect will suggest.”

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